


Slowpoke

by rhye



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-04
Updated: 2013-02-04
Packaged: 2017-11-28 06:36:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/671408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhye/pseuds/rhye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Centaur involvement in the first war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Slowpoke

**Author's Note:**

> For [](http://hh-clubs.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://hh-clubs.livejournal.com/)**hh_clubs** Care of Magical Creatures "I Shall Call Him Squishy" challenge.

It surprised few when Slowpoke ran away from home. And certainly, run he did. His speed was not why he was called Slowpoke. He was named Zelanti by his parents; it meant 'eager'. He acquired the nickname Slowpoke as young foal when he had been walking very near the lake with his herd. Humans were near and the herd ran, but Zelanti was curious and did not run. A sorrel human filly spotted him. "Hello!" she cried out to him.

He had heard stories of the dangers of humans, but this filly did not seem dangerous. He turned slowly to follow his herd back into the Forbidden Forest.

"Don't you know what is foretold about you?" his father scolded.

"You are destined to be killed by a human woman," his mother reminded him.

The leader of the herd cornered him and, in a loud voice for all to hear, yelled, "You are either slow in the head or in the hoof, perhaps both. Learn speed. Your foolishness endangers the herd."

And thus he was called a slowpoke. Yet even after that day he did not run from humans, but tried to learn about them. What he learned was that there was an evil man trying to hurt some of them. He learned that the sorrel human-filly was named Lily, and that she was going to fight against the evil man. And he learned that he could not sit aside and wait for the evil man to come for the centaurs too. He ran away from home.

Zelanti's father, it is said, was so consumed by his hatred of humans after this that he would kill any on sight. Bane, he is called, but he had a different name before that day. He was called Bridd in the long-ago but now he answers only to Human-bane.


End file.
